Tour in 13 Districts Thanks Supporters, Targets Opponents of Defunding Measure
 
Contact: Kerry Brown, Susan B. Anthony List, 703-470-1926 kbrown@sba-list.org

WASHINGTON, March 3, 2011 /Christian Newswire/ -- Today, the Susan B. Anthony List (SBA List) announced a 13-district "Women Speak Out: Defund Planned Parenthood" bus tour from March 7 to 10. Led by former Colorado Rep. Marilyn Musgrave and Live Action President Lila Rose, the tour will include press conferences in 13 congressional districts featuring local pro-life leaders thanking Members who voted for Rep. Mike Pence's amendment to defund Planned Parenthood in the Continuing Resolution (CR) and targeting those who voted against it.

The tour will make 11 stops, covering 13 districts across Iowa, Illinois, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Rhode Island and New Hampshire from Monday, March 7 to Thursday, March 10. There, SBA List staff and local pro-life leaders will join forces to rally grassroots support for Reps. Joe Walsh (IL-08), Randy Hultgren (IL-14), Frank Guinta (NH-01), Ann Marie Buerkle (NY-25), Mike Kelly (PA-03), Patrick Meehan (PA-07) and Mike Fitzpatrick (PA-08). Other stops will target those who voted against defunding Planned Parenthood, including Leonard Boswell (IA-03), Bruce Braley (IA-01), David Cicilline (RI-01), Jason Altmire (PA-04), Marcy Kaptur (OH-09) and Bill Owens (NY-23). A tentative schedule is available at www.sba-list.org/DefundTour.

"Planned Parenthood's business model is destructive for women, unborn children and young girls and is offensive to taxpayers," said SBA List Votes Have Consequences Project Director Marilyn Musgrave. "This campaign is a reminder of what the mid-term election was all about -- the power of the pro-life grassroots. Pouring millions of dollars into an organization that has been repeatedly exposed as a frequent and willing ally of those who sex traffic women and underage girls makes no sense, especially at a time when our country is drowning in debt. The message is clear: not with our tax dollars. We will accept nothing less than the total defunding of Planned Parenthood."

"Congress can no longer hide behind the lie that Planned Parenthood puts women first, especially not when they've been shown repeatedly willing to aid in the sexual exploitation of young girls," said Live Action President Lila Rose. "A vote to funnel federal dollars into this corrupt organization is a vote to make taxpayers accomplices in the exploitation of women and at a time when our country is broke. We commend our Representatives who have taken the first step by voting to strip Planned Parenthood of its taxpayer funds, and implore that they hold the line in negotiations with the Senate."

The tour is a part of a larger $200,000 grassroots campaign including radio and television ads thanking Members for their votes to defund Planned Parenthood. The ad campaign launched on Tuesday, March 1, with a four-day $75,000 television ad airing throughout NY-25 and the Syracuse-area thanking Rep. Ann Marie Buerkle (NY-25). The same day, the SBA List commenced a series of one-week radio ads in the districts of Reps. Joe Walsh (IL-08), Randy Hultgren (IL-14), Frank Guinta (NH-01), Patrick Meehan (PA-07), Mike Fitzpatrick (PA-08) and Allen West (FL-22) thanking them for their votes.

The Susan B. Anthony List spent $11 million during the 2010 midterm election cycle. Overall, the SBA List was involved in 90 races including 62 wins and 28 losses. Successes included: defeating 15 of 20 so-called "pro-life" Democrats who voted for abortion funding in the health care reform bill; increasing the number of pro-life women in the House by 70 percent; filling the void of pro-life women in the U.S. Senate and increasing the number of pro-life women governors from one to four.

For further information, please contact Kerry Brown at (703) 470-1926 or kbrown@sba-list.org.